Role of the Clinical Pharmacist in the Oncologic Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

A clinical pharmacist is an essential and valuable member of the multidisciplinary ICU team. The impact of ICU clinical pharmacy services is well documented in the primary literature, with positive outcomes in areas such as adverse drug events, drug-drug interactions, antimicrobial therapy, anticoagulant therapy, sedation/analgesia therapy, and provision of advanced cardiac life support. Recent research has shown that the presence of clinical pharmacists in ICUs that care for critically ill oncology patients is associated with decreased mortality. Critical care clinical pharmacists who practice in oncology ICUs often face a unique set of circumstances, including high level of patient acuity, complex pharmacotherapeutic regimens, and high volume of medication use. These practitioners should be familiar with the management of oncology-specific disease states and the complications associated with the treatment of malignancy. The integration of clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy services in oncology ICUs is imperative.